Inamorata (10 page)

Chapter 16

Isabella kissed Zeke on the forehead then tucked the blankets around him.

“Is Mick coming tonight?” he asked in a tired voice.

“Yes, but only for a few minutes. You must get your rest if you want to go home soon.”

When they heard the door creak, they both looked up to see Mick’s smiling face as she poked her head in. “Can I come in?”

“Mick!” Zeke cried out.

Isabella had to hold him down before he tried to get out of bed. Mick quickly walked up to the bed. “Hey, my man. Take it easy. Lie still.” She ran her fingers over his brow, noticing the bruise that formed at the side of his head. Her stomach lurched thinking what could have happened to him. She pulled the tattered ball cap from her back pocket. “Look what I found.”

Zeke’s tired eyes widened as he reached for the Yankee cap with his good hand. “
Gracias
, Señorita Mick,” he said, putting on the cap.

“Now you look right,” Mick said. She sat on the edge of the bed, trying not to stare at the cast on his forearm and lower leg. “How do you feel? Everyone misses you at the site. I’m lost without you.” Her voice cracked and she coughed to cover it.

“I am fine. I will be back soon. Dr. Isabella said I can go home soon.”

“Dr. Isabella?” Mick asked, looking at Isabella.

“Yes,” she said proudly. “We are good friends now. More than doctor and patient.”

“I think that’s great,” Mick said. “Zeke, I’m so sorry this happened to you.”

“Do not be sad,” Zeke said. “I will be all right.” He yawned then, trying to fight the sleep that would come.

“All right now,” Isabella said softly. “That is enough for tonight.”

“No,” Zeke said, reaching for Mick. “Don’t leave me.”

“Hey, my man.” Mick gently pushed him against the pillows. “You need to sleep now.”

“No.”

He sounded so pathetic and helpless it broke Mick’s heart. “How can you go home if you don’t sleep and get better? The more you sleep, the sooner you can go back with your grandma. Okay? Can you do that for me?”

Zeke nodded and closed his eyes. “I will for you, Mick.”

“Good,” she whispered and kissed his forehead. “Sweet dreams, my man.”

Isabella turned on the small overhead light and gently pulled Mick out of the room. Once in the hallway, Mick broke down. She cried helplessly as Isabella wrapped her arms around her.

“I can’t bear to see him looking so little and helpless.”

“I know, Mick. But he is getting better and will be able to go home and recover. He will be good as new.”

Mick pulled back and dried her eyes on the back of her hand. “You’re not lying are you? He’s gonna be okay?”

“I am not lying to you. Let’s go. They will call me if anything happens. You need to sleep.”

“Okay,” Mick said, giving the room one last look.

*******

“Where are we going?” Mick asked as Isabella took over the driving. She put her head back and for the first time in over a week, she relaxed.

“You are going to be pampered for tonight, and tomorrow.”

“But I have to get back.”

“Didn’t Maria tell you?”

“Well, she said something about doctor’s orders…” She stopped. “Oh, that’s you.”

Isabella rolled her eyes as she drove the streets of Panama City. “Yes, it is me. I am a doctor remember.”

Mick laughed then. “Don’t mind me, I’m just pooped.”

“Not too el-poop-ed, I hope.”

Mick thought she heard a sultry tone. “So, uh, where are we going?”

“Here,” she said.

Mick looked out the window at the high-rise. “Holy crap. Are we staying here?”

“Yes. You need to relax, and I received a gift from a patient and we are going to use it.”

“Some gift,” Mick said in awe.

“Some patient,” Isabella said, pulling up to the door.

The valet took the car, and a stunned Mick obediently followed Isabella to the desk. She checked in and received the door keycard.

“Enjoy your stay,” the woman said with a smile.

“Oh, we will.
Gracias
,” Isabella said, pulling Mick along to the elevator.

They stopped at the sixteenth floor. And once again, Mick followed trance-like. Isabella opened the door, and Mick stopped and looked around the spacious room.

“Geez, this looks expensive,” Mick said.

“It was a gift. So do not worry.” Isabella set the keycard on the table and turned to Mick. “Is this all right?”

Mick smiled. “Yes. It’s more than all right. Come here.”

Isabella walked over to her, slipping her arms around her neck. “You just need a little down time, as you Americans say.”

“I feel guilty. We all need down time,” Mick said.

“Tomorrow Maria is taking Juan into Panama City to visit some friends.”

“What about Sean?” She sighed when Isabella nibbled at her neck.

“He will be fine. Stop worrying about everyone else for now, Mick. Just for tonight,” she whispered and pulled away. She picked up the phone and dialed.

Mick relented. “You’re right. This was a nice thing for you to do for me.”

“For us,” Isabella said, away from the phone. “How about a nice hot bath? Then room service to get something to eat.”

“One condition,” Mick said, kissing her lightly on the lips when she had finished ordering room service. “You join me.” She took Isabella by the hand.

“Are you sure? I would be fine if you wanted to relax and do nothing…”

“Really?” Mick asked.

Isabella smiled. “Well, perhaps fine is the wrong word. But I would understand. I am not being too forward am I, Mick? I mean only for you to relax and…
”

“And?”

“Well, we have shared many kisses, and,” she laughed nervously, “interruptions. But I feel we both want this, no?”

“Just one thing…”

“What is that?”

“Where’s the bathroom in this museum?”

*******

Mick watched as Isabella filled the bathtub with steamy bubbles. “I love bubbles,” she said.

Isabella laughed as she swirled the hot water. “I think it is ready.”

“And I think it is adorable that you wanted us to wear a robe and haven’t seen each other naked yet. Just how are we going to take a bath together?”

Isabella laughed again, feeling very nervous for some reason. Mick walked up behind her and kissed the top of her head. “The water will get cold before we get into it and isn’t room service coming soon?”

Isabella turned to her. “I am nervous,” she said, looking at the lapels on Mick’s robe.

“Me too,” she whispered, kissing her forehead. She reached in and untied Isabella’s robe, letting it fall open. Seeing Isabella’s body for the first time sent a chill down her spine. She touched the top of her breast, her fingers delicately caressing. “So soft,” she whispered.

Isabella shivered and untied Mick’s robe with a shaky hand. Beneath the white terrycloth lay a beautifully toned body. “You are beautiful, Mick.”

They slipped the robes away, letting them fall in a muffled thud at their feet. “I’ll go first,” Mick said, easing into the steamy water. “Oh, Lord…” She laid her head back against the cool porcelain tub and let out a luxurious groan. She held out her hand.

Isabella took the offering, stepped into the tub, and nestled back against Mick. “
Madre de Dios
.” She sighed sensually, rubbing against Mick. “You feel so good, Mick.”

Mick kissed the back of her neck. “So do you, Isabella. I can’t believe we are here, like this. It’s heaven.”

“I can’t as well. I love this,” Isabella said. “So good for you to relax.”

Mick picked up the soapy cloth and gently ran it over her shoulders, down her arms then across her chest.

All the while, Isabella purred like a well-fed cat as she laid her head against Mick’s chest. “You are very attentive.”

“And I’m not through with you, Dr. Rivera,” she whispered against her ear.

“I certainly hope not.”

In a moment, all movement stopped. Isabella looked around the bathroom. “Mick?” she whispered. No response.

Madre de Dios
, she has drowned. She turned around and smiled. Mick had her head back, her mouth open; she was sound asleep. “So, you are not finished with me, Señorita Brennan?”

Isabella slipped out of the tub and into her robe. She sat on the edge of the bathtub and took the soapy cloth. She was amazed that Mick could still sleep. She took the cloth and bathed her arms and shoulders. Then her neck. When she dipped the cloth lower, Mick jumped and woke up.

“What happened?” she asked.

“You fell asleep,” Isabella said, with a smirk.

“I did not.”

“
Sí
.”

Mick laughed nervously. “I’m so sorry. I remember washing you and thinking how I wanted to make love to you and…”

“You fell asleep?” Isabella said.

Mick reached for her. “I’m so sorry. Truly.”

The knock at the door saved her from further embarrassment.

“I’m not sure you deserve a good meal and wine,” Isabella said, standing up. “Get out of there, before you shrivel up like a prune.” She saw the hurt look and rolled her eyes. “
Muy loco
,” she whispered, kissing her lightly on the lips.

Dinner nearly sent both of them into a coma. The wine didn’t help. Afterward, they lay on the bed in their white robes, cuddling in the darkness.

“Boy, two great lovers we are,” Mick said through her yawns.

Isabella laughed and cuddled closer. “Can I tell you the truth?”

“Always.”

“This is what I pictured, when I wanted to bring you here.”

“Really? You, you don’t want any…”

Isabella raised her head. “Of course I do.” She pulled Mick’s robe away from her shoulder and planted a light kiss there. “I ache for you, Mick.  But I am so comfortable with you right now, at this exact time. I cannot think of anything more enjoyable.”

“It is nice to sleep in a bed for a change,” Mick said, pulling her closer and looking out the floor-to-ceiling window. “And we have a full moon shining. And I can’t think of anyone I’d rather be lying next to.”

Isabella looked up and smiled. “I feel the same way. We have come a long way since the night in the Red Sunset.”

A low rumbling laugh escaped Mick. “And I’m so lucky. To think how it could have turned out. And the look on your face the next day at the lawyer’s office.”

Isabella laughed as well. “I was so shocked to see you. And then you spill your lemonade all over you. Oh, I was so mad, and at the same time wanting to kiss you so much.”

Mick turned on her side to face Isabella. “You did? Tell me more.”

Isabella continued to laugh. “I did. You were so sexy, so pretty. I think deep down I knew we would be together like this. Since then, I cannot stop thinking about you. How we…”

Mick raised an eyebrow in question. “How we what?”

“How we make love together,” Isabella whispered. She reached up and brushed the sandy hair away from her face. “How you look when I make love to you. How I want to hear you call my name.”

“I think about it too, Isabella. When I first saw you. Even after you slugged me. I knew how it would be. To hold your body against me, to caress your soft skin.” She gently reached between them and pushed the robe away. She slipped her hand in and ran her fingertips across the curve of her hip, and down her thigh.

“Oh, Mick,” Isabella whispered and rolled onto her back. “Please do not stop touching me.”

Mick’s mouth ran dry when she gazed at the beautiful body. Isabella’s caramel skin looked even richer, and darker against the cool white sheets. She tentatively cupped her breast, feeling it heave in her palm. She ran her fingers between her breasts, toying with her, loving to hear the small gasps of pleasure. She smiled when Isabella parted her legs. Mick ran her fingers down the length of her torso, once again tracing the line of her hip. She had a difficult time breathing when she dipped her fingers between Isabella’s beautiful thighs.

Isabella’s breathing hitched and she shivered as Mick’s fingers danced over her. Mick lowered her head, and kissed Isabella, her tongue lightly flicking against her lips. Mick groaned openly when her fingers met unbelievable warmth. “God, Isabella,” she whispered against her lips.

“Please, Mick,” Isabella said, parting her legs further.

“Anything you want,” Mick said, slipping her finger deep within her.

Isabella arched her back at first contact, wrapping her arms around Mick, pulling her closer. Mick added another finger. “So soft,” she murmured, “so warm.” With steady loving strokes, she brought Isabella to a slow orgasm.

Isabella whimpered and clung to Mick as the orgasm rippled through her. Her desire to feel Mick was overwhelming; she quickly rolled Mick onto her back. “My God, I want you so,” she said. She kissed Mick long and hard, leaving both of them breathless. “I want to taste you.”